Neck support for the hood of a hair drying apparatus



July 5, 1966 S. WATLINGTO N NECK SUPPORT FOR THE HOOD 0F A HAIR DRYING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25, 1963 o a 4 F 3 "25) INVENTOR 24 5 J.' MUM/amv j? FfM/t/f/f United States Patent O 3,258,848 NECK SUPPORT FOR THE HOOD F A HAIR DRYING APPARATUS Lee S. Watlington, 1204 N. Linden St., Bloomington, lll. Filed Jan. 23, 1963, ser. No. 253,3s4 4 Claims. (Cl. 34-99) This application `constitutes a continuation-in-part of my copending application led October 15, 1962, Serial No. 230,392, for Letters Patent on a hood for a hair drying apparatus.

My invention relates to a novel improvement in a neck support for the hood of a hair drying apparatus such as used in beauty salons and like locations for drying the hair after the same has been washed or otherwise treated.

In the conventional use of a hair drying apparatus where there is employed a hood Within which the head of the person whose hair is being dried is positioned, after the drying operation the head is removed from within the hood. This accomplished by such person maneuvering the head downwardly from the hood to a position where the head may be moved from beneath the hood. Withdrawal of the head from the hood in this manner invariably proves highly awkward and uncomfortable.

It is therefore one of the principal objects of my invention to provide a neck support for the hood of a hair drying apparatus which enables moving the hood upwardly from the head of the person whose hair is being dried, without requiring such person to substantially alter or change her posture or position. This is accomplished without requiring any mechanical adjustments or moving of the hair drying apparatus other than a simple pivotal and elevational movement of the hood by the operator to a position rearwardly and above the head of the person whose hair is being dried, so that when such person arises from the chair the head will not come into contact with or bump against the hood.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts `to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hair drying apparatus having my invention incorporated therein;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken substantially on line 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the parts thereof in different position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing the parts in exploded relation with respect to each other.

The several objects of my present invention are preferably accomplished by the preferred form of construction shown in the accompanying drawings. In this connection indicates a cabinet which houses the mechanism of the apparatus. In the drawings 11 indicates a hood within which Athe head of the person whose hair is being dried is arranged. The cabinet 10 and hood 11 are constructed substantially similarly to that shown in my aforementioned copending application. As in said application, the cabinet 10 is mounted on a base in the form indicated at 10 in FIG. 1.

My invention relates particularly to the neck 13 which supports the hood 11 for adjustment relative to the cabinet 10 so as to accomplish the objects hereinbefore set forth. In this connection, the neck 13 comprises a duct 14, which duct 14 comprises telescopically arranged sections 15 and 16. In a wall of the section 15 is formed a slot 17 extending in the direction of the length of the section. Fixed to a wall of the section 16 on the interior 3,258,848v Patented July 5, 1966 ICC thereof is a nut 18. Extending through the slot 17 and threaded into the nut 18 is a clamping screw 19, the head of which may be knurled to facilitate rm gripping by the ingers so as to secure the sections 15 and 16 in proper predetermined adjusted position with respect to each other.

The section 15 is fixed to and carried by the hood as at 21. The section 16 has its lower end portion 22 curved inwardly. This curved end portion 22 is engageable with the edge portion 23 of a second duct 24, whereby to provide a continuous uninterrupted passage of hot air from the duct 24 through the duct 14 and thence into the hood 11.

Secured to a wall of the second duct 24 is an angle plate 25 providing a lateral flange 26 which is adapted to engage a lateral ange 27 of an angle plate 28 secured to the curved end portion 22. These angle plates 28 and 25 cooperate to limit the degree of pivotal movement of the duct 14 with respect to the second duct 24. Between the curved portion 22 and the adjacent wall of the duct 24 is a seal 29 of such material as will not be affected by heat or moisture. The duct 14 is secured to the second duct 24 by means of a hinge 30.

To complete the invention I provide in the edge portion 31 of the curved portion 22 a slot 33. When the hood 11 is adjusted to the position shown in FIG. 3, the duct 14 will be disposed in aligned relation with respect to the second duct 24. In this position, the curved end portion 22 extends into the duct 24.

If no means were provided to permit the hot air to escape through the duct 14 when the hood 11 is adjusted in the position shown in FIG. 3, the duct 24 would become relatively hot. To overcome this, I have provided a bypass in `the form of the slot 33. Thus, when the duct 14 is in aligned position with the second duct 24, the hot air from the duct 24 may pass through the slot 33 through the duct 14 and thence into the hood 11 for hair drying purposes. In this position of the hood, the hot air will escape from the duct 24 through the slot 33, thus preventing the duct 24 from becoming excessively hot.

At the completion of the drying operation, the operator will pivot the hood 11 rearwardly away from the head to a position, shown in FIG. 3, whereby the person whose hair is being dried may, without fear of striking or bumping 4the hood, arise from the chair, all of which is accomplished without any mechanical adjustments or moving of the hair drying apparatus.

By providing the duct 14 in the form of telescopically arranged sections, the operator may conveniently and easily adjust the hood to the most effective position with respect to the head of the person whose hair is being dried, without any discomfort to such person.

An important feature of my invention is found in the fact that 'before the hood is pivoted into position over the head of the person whose hair is to be dried, the heat control switch 34 may be turned on whereby to heat the partially blocked air in the duct 24 so that when the hood is pivoted into position over the head of such person, a full flow of heated air will be released, thereby delivering instantly heated air to the hair for purposes of drying the same. The by-pass slot 33 permits just enough hot air to escape to prevent overheating of the duct 24.

The neck support may be formed of such material as will best serve the purpose. As the support comprises relatively few parts, the same may b-e manufactured at an economical cost.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the lappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hair drying apparatus having a hood, a neck support, and a cabinet, said neck support comprising (a) a telescopically arranged section having an inner first duct and outer second duct fixed to and extending from the hood and telescoping over said first duct,

(b) a third duct iixed to and extending from the cabinet of said apparatus,

(c) hinged means connecting said third duct to said first duct of said telescopically arranged section to permit said section to be pivoted relative to said third duct,

(d) said first duct having 1a continuous extending Wall opposite said hinged means formed to provide an inwardly curved end portion engageable with the adjacent end of the third duct to form a continuous passage for hot air from said third duct through said section and said iixed second duct and into said hood when said section is adjusted in an angular position with respect to the long axis of said third duct,

(e) said curved end portion of said opposite Wall of said telescopically arranged section adapted to extend into said third duct when said section is pivoted into alignment with respect to said third duct, and

(f) means for limiting pivotal movement of said telescopically arranged section into its angular position with respect to said third duct.

2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the inclusion of means for releasably securing said telescopically arranged section in a predetermined adjusted position to said xed duct.

3. A neck support for a hood of a hair drying apparatus comprising (a) a telescopically arranged section having an inner iirst duct and outer second duct fixed to and extending from the hood and telescoping over said irst duct,

(b) a third duct fixed to and extending from the cabinet of said apparatus,

(c) hinged means connecting said third duct to said first duet of said telescopically arranged section to permit said section to be pivoted relative to said third duct,

(d) said first duct having a continuous extending Wall opposite said hinged means formed to provide an inwardly curved end portion engageable with the adjacent end of the third duct to form a continuous passage for hot air from said third duct through said section and said xed second duct and into said hood when said section is adjusted in an angular position with respect to the long axis of said third duct,

(e) said curved end portion of said opposite wall of said telescopically arranged section having a slot formed in an edge portion thereof to permit escape of hot air from said third duct through said telescopically arranged section when said section is pivoted to an aligned position with respect to said third duct, and

(f) means for limiting pivotal movement of said telescopically arranged section into its angular position with respect to said third duct.

4. A device of claim 3 further characterized by inclusion of means for releasably securing said telescopically arranged section in a predetermined adjusted position to said second fixed duct.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,637,488 8/1927 Knopp 34-97 2,227,262 12/ 1940 Kleine 34-99 2,289,633 7/1942 Vincenzis et al. 34-99 FOREIGN PATENTS 974,003 2/ 1951 France.

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner.

NORMAN YUDKOFF, ALDEN D. STEWART,

Examiners.

I. SOFER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A HAIR DRYING APPARATUS HAVING A HOOD, A NECK SUPPORT, AND A CABINET, SAID NECK SUPPORT COMPRISING (A) A TELESCOPICALLY ARRANGED SECTION HAVING AN INNER FIRST DUCT AND OUTER SECOND DUCT FIXED TO AND EXTENDING FROM THE HOOD AND TELESCOPING OVER SAID FIRST DUCT, (B) A THIRD DUCT FIXED TO AND EXTENDING FROM THE CABINET OF SAID APPARATUS, (C) HINGED MEANS CONNECTING SAID THIRD DUCT TO SAID FIRST DUCT OF SAID TELESCOPICALLY ARRANGED SECTION TO PERMIT SAID SECTION TO BE PIVOTED RELATIVE TO SAID THIRD DUCT, (D) SAID FIRST DUCT HAVING A CONTINUOUS EXTENDING WALL OPPOSITE SAID HINGED MEANS FORMED TO PROVIDE AN INWARDLY CURVED END PORTION ENGAGEABLE WITH THE ADJACENT END OF THE THIRD DUCT TO FORM A CONTINUOUS PASSAGE FOR HOT AIR FROM SAID THIRD DUCT THROUGH SAID SECTION AND SAID FIXED SECOND DUCT AND INTO SAID HOOD WHEN SAID SECTION IS ADJUSTED IN AN ANGULAR POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE LONG AXIS OF SAID THIRD DUCT, (E) WITH CURVED END PORTION OF SAID OPPOSITE WALL OF SAID TELESCOPICALLY ARRANGED SECTION ADAPTED TO EXTEND INTO SAID THIRD DUCT WHEN SAID SECTION IS PIVOTED INTO ALIGNMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID THIRD DUCT, AND (F) MEANS FOR LIMITING PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID TELESCOPICALLY ARRANGED SECTION INTO ITS ANGULAR POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID THIRD DUCT. 